


touch you softly

by irleggsy



Series: irleggsy | Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020 [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Could be read as pre-slash if you wanted, First-Year Shirtatorizawa, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Not Beta Read, Past Abuse, Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:53:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25114207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irleggsy/pseuds/irleggsy
Summary: The first time Tendou had tried to hug Semi, it was their first year. His hands were waving about, up and down in his face, going in for the kill when Semi flinched away. Tendou stepped back in surprise, his mouth making a round little ‘o’ shape.“Sorry,” Semi said, eyes still darting towards Tendou’s hands hesitantly. “I don’t really like being touched,”Shiratorizawa Fanweek Day 7: Terrible Pick Up Lines |Hands| College/University AU
Relationships: Oohira Reon & Semi Eita & Tendou Satori & Ushijima Wakatoshi, Semi Eita & Tendou Satori
Series: irleggsy | Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811692
Comments: 15
Kudos: 211
Collections: Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020





	touch you softly

**Author's Note:**

> day 7 of [2020 shiratorizawa fanweek.](https://stzfanweek.tumblr.com/) i can't believe it's over! here's my last fic, it's probably the most personal.
> 
> on a lighter note: the first song that shows up when you search ‘hand’ on spotify is no longer _i want to hold your hand by the beatles_ but _hand crushed by a mallet by 100 gecs_ which made me laugh much harder than it should have
> 
> cw: implied/referenced past physical abuse

The first time Tendou had tried to hug Semi, it was their first year. His hands were waving about, up and down in his face, going in for the kill when Semi flinched away. Tendou stepped back in surprise, his mouth making a round little ‘o’ shape.

“Sorry,” Semi said, eyes still darting towards Tendou’s hands hesitantly. “I don’t really like being touched,”

Tendou gave him a  _ look, _ frighteningly intense and wholly indecipherable before nodding and moving away. “That’s quite alright, Semi-semi,” He gave him a cheeky grin. “I’ll just find other ways to annoy you.”

Semi rolled his eyes. “I’m looking forward to it.”

* * *

Semi was in the common room, unable to sleep, swaying back and forth unsteadily on his feet and sleepily waiting for his noodles to soften. 

“Couldn’t sleep either?” a gentle voice called.

Then a hand clapped on his back. Semi collapsed. Out of shock or fear, he wasn’t sure.

“Semi?!” Reon gasped before crouching down to check on him. Semi was already getting back up to his feet, however, embarrassed and wiping dirt off of his pajama pants sheepishly. “Shit. Wh-what happened?” Reon asked gently.

“It’s alright Reon-san. You just surprised me,” Semi replied, smiling wanly. “Just, uh, I don’t really like being touched.”

“Oh,” Reon’s voice came out small. “Well, I’ll keep that in mind. What are you making?”

That reminded Semi. He moved to pick up the bowl, draining the water into the sink. “Instant yakisoba, Sapporo Ichiban.”

“Ah, a man of  _ taste  _ I see,” Reon flashed him a charming grin, breaking through all the tension in the air. “I’m glad.”

“Exactly,” He gestured towards the bowl, shaking the flavor packet back and forth before pouring it in and mixing generously. “You wanna share some?”

“I’d love to!”   
  


Semi smiled. It was genuine this time.

* * *

When Ushijima  _ slammed _ the palm of his hand onto the ball, landing an absolutely mind-boggling cross-court spike, Semi couldn’t help but take an apprehensive step back.

There was power there.

Later in the week, Tendou made it a point to introduce them to each other during lunch, somehow managing to befriend the infamous ‘Ushiwaka’.

“C’mon, introduce yourself, Miracle Boy!”

“I am Ushijima Wakatoshi. I attended Shiratorizawa Junior High. I am currently an opposite hitter, although I will one day be this team’s ace,” Ushijima reached out a palm, to which Semi shook his head.

“Sorry,” He lifted his hands in surrender, refusing the gesture. “I’m Semi Eita, Komagi Junior High. I’m a pinch server, but same as you, I’m going to change that. I’m going to be the setter.” He made it a point to tell Ushijima _ specifically,  _ “I don’t like being touched.”

The smack of the volleyball against the court’s floors echoed in Semi’s mind. Tendou gave him another  _ look, _ the same as he did the other day. Ushijima bowed his head in understanding. “I see. I look forward to the day I hit the plays that you set.”

Semi blinked, surprised at Ushijima’s words. Semi’s skills were nothing to sneeze at, him being here on a sports scholarship, but still. He hadn’t even gotten to the bench, and here Ushijima was, a prodigal volleyball player, telling him he was looking forward to his sets. “Th-thank you?”

Ushijima nodded wordlessly. Tendou looked back and forth between the two of them and clapped his hands together excitedly. “Yippee! First-year gang, let’s go!” he crowed. He looked around energetically. “Now we just need to get Hayato and Reon over here. Oh, and let’s not forget Soekawa. Where is he?” 

Ushijima shrugged. Tendou didn’t say a word as he darted off to the other side of the cafeteria, determined to assemble their ragtag group.

Semi gave a long-suffering sigh, one that Ushijima didn’t quite mirror, but nodded at in empathy. “Tendou is… quite a character,” Ushijima noted.

“Really,” Semi smirked as he watched Tendou harass Hayato into getting up from his table to join them. “I can’t say it isn’t entertaining though.”

Ushijima hummed in agreement. “That I cannot argue with.”

Semi smiled. “Forgive me for being presumptuous, but I think we’re going to be good friends, Ushijima-san.”

* * *

Semi didn’t like being touched. Really, he didn’t. He specifically made sure that every one of his friends knew.

...So why did he feel so bothered by the sight in front of him?

Tendou, Ushijima, and Reon were all cuddled on the bed together, Reon on his phone playing games, Ushijima fast asleep, and Tendou swinging his legs back and forth while reading  _ Jump. _ Tendou had pulled two chairs aside for Semi to sit on — “My roommate’s never here, he won’t mind,” — and piled several pillows on top of it so it was comfortable.

He was merely two feet away from the bed, reading his chemistry textbook, and yet... he felt so far.

As Reon put his phone down and started to drift off, he and Ushijima pressed closer to each other. Semi’s chest tightened at the sight, a feeling of wistfulness tugging at his heart. Forcing himself to tear his gaze away, he tried to focus on his textbook again.

“...You’re not telling the truth, are you?” 

Semi looked at Tendou. The boy had a tendency to be both mysterious and blunt, an odd combination that Semi was becoming increasingly familiar with. “Excuse me?”

“Everyone who’s ever had a proper conversation with you knows you don’t like being touched. But that’s not true, is it?” Tendou smacked his book closed. “You’re just scared.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Semi’s voice shook as he spoke.

Tendou moved his hand just a  _ little too fast _ in Semi’s peripheral view and he startled back, eyes widening. “I think I  _ do, _ Semi-semi,” Tendou said coolly.

Semi’s eyes darted around the room quickly, subconsciously looking for an escape route. Hurriedly, he shoved his textbook in his bag and moved to heft it over his shoulder.

“Wait!” Tendou called.

Semi froze. 

“We don’t have to talk about that right now. Sorry for scaring you. That… it wasn’t intentional, I swear,” Tendou sounded genuinely guilty and Semi relaxed, just a touch. “Do you want to join us?”

Before he could stop himself, Semi looked at the bed, gazing longingly at the casual affection they could so easily share. “...no space,” he murmured. Tendou rolled his eyes and shoved at the other two until they were a decent bit closer, somehow still asleep, a new space opening up on the bed.

“C’mon. We don’t bite,” Tendou beckoned him with his hands. His tone was joking, but his eyes were pleading.

“Why are you doing this?” Semi blurted out.

Semi cocked his head to the side, a sympathetic expression on his face. “I’m in the same situation,” he told him softly. “Not quite as bad as you, but I,” He looked away. “I’m not used to kindness in people’s touch.”

That was enough for Semi.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he peeled his jacket off again, putting his bag down and clambering onto the bed. Tendou had adjusted it to be absurdly high (“It’s like a nest! I feel like I’m perching!”), so it shook back and forth when he finally made it up. Neither Ushijima nor Reon stirred, however, so Semi let out a sigh of relief.

“C’mon. Group cuddle!” 

  
“Tendou, half of the people here are asleep.”

“Okay well, we’re going to cuddle and we’re in a group. Group cuddle.”

Reon shifted in his sleep and curled an arm around Semi’s stomach. Semi tensed up before taking a shaky breath and forcing himself to relax.

“Oho~? What’s this?” Tendou crooned.

“Fine. It’s a group cuddle,” Semi huffed.

Tendou smiled before scooting closer to Semi, who instinctively moved back, squishing him even further against Reon. “Hey, wait—”

“Sorry! I don’t want to fall off the bed,” Tendou pouted. 

Semi sighed shakily. “Okay.”

Tendou offered his arm, giving Semi a quizzical look.

“...Fine,” Semi conceded.

This time, when Tendou went to hug him, Semi hugged him back. When Tendou moved his hand to touch Semi’s, he let him. With their pinkies interlocked and their bodies joined, Tendou giggled.

Semi mirrored his smile.

**Author's Note:**

> something i realized recently that made me laugh: i have only one fic i made for this week that doesn't involve some sort of bed or literal sleeping and that is 'summer is where i find out all i think about is love'. although, if we're getting technical, that happened in a truck bed...
> 
> and that's a wrap everyone! now if you'll excuse me, i'll be reading some of the amazing fics in this collection. one day, i might come back and finish the comic i made for day 4, and complete the set. who knows.
> 
> [tumblr](https://irleggsywrites.tumblr.com/)|[instagram](https://www.instagram.com/oborokoto/)|irleggsywrites@gmail.com
> 
> please leave a comment on your way out, it's the only way my stupid lizard brain stays motivated to write <3 thanks for reading!


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